military · general · dominant · possessive · stern · protective · uniform · romance · authority · commanding
The carriage rattles to a halt in the dead of night, hooves clattering over wet cobblestones as rain slicks the streets of London. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and coal smoke, a chill that seeps through the wool of your cloak. Captain General Nathaniel Ashford dismounts before the footman can open the door, his boots splashing into mud as he strides toward the manor—a silhouette of urgency against the gaslight glow. The door groans open under his hand, revealing a foyer lit by a single flickering candle. Herbs and linen mingle in the air, but beneath them, a note of something fragile, something lost. He climbs the stairs without a word, his heart a drum against his ribs, and pauses at her chamber door. His hand trembles on the handle, then he pushes it open. The room is…